Chapter 181

Chapter 181
Finn's POV

My black sedan hovered at the edge of the lake, its front tires suspended over the murky water that reflected the fading sunset. Around us, the air was unnaturally still, as if even nature held its breath. My hands gripped the steering wheel so tightly my knuckles turned white, as I fought the urge to push the car forward and end this charade once and for all.

In the distance, my security personnel maintained their positions, none daring to approach. Their faces betrayed their anxiety, eyes darting between me and the precarious position of our car. Pathetic. If I decided to drive us into the lake, none of them would be able to stop me in time.

"You don't get to make that decision," I said, keeping my voice low and controlled despite the rage building inside me. "Not alone."

Hannah swallowed hard, her face still pale from childbirth. "The agreement was clear from the beginning."

"Tell me the truth, Hannah." I turned to face her, studying every micro-expression that crossed her face. "Was it William who forced you? Is that what this is about?"

She looked away, unable to meet my gaze. Her fingers twisted together in her lap. "No. It was my decision. After delivering the baby, I would leave. That was our original arrangement."

A bitter laugh escaped my lips as I lit a cigarette, needing something to occupy my hands before I did something I'd regret. The smoke curled around us in the confined space.

"A lie repeated a thousand times doesn't become truth."

I inhaled deeply, feeling the burn in my lungs as a welcome distraction. "Do you remember that night in the garden? The way you described colors to me when I couldn't see?" I paused, hardening my voice. "Was all of that just an act, Hannah? Did you ever mean any of it?"

Tears pricked at her eyes, but she blinked them back. "It's better this way. For both of us."

The muscle in my jaw twitched. My foot hovered over the gas pedal, the urge to slam it down and plunge us both into the lake nearly overwhelming. One quick motion and this betrayal, this pain, all of it would disappear beneath the murky water. But then Hannah's face flashed in my mind – not her frightened expression now, but how she looked when solving problems, when facing challenges.

She wouldn't do this. She would find a way to talk through it, to understand, to fix what was broken instead of destroying it completely. The realization hit me harder than any punch I'd ever taken. For once, maybe the solution wasn't violence or escape, but the thing I'd spent my life avoiding: honest communication.

"Trust goes both ways, Hannah," I said evenly. "You can't lie to me under the guise of 'it's for your own good.'"

She stared at me, shocked by my perception. The silence between us stretched uncomfortably. I watched her breathing quicken slightly – a tell-tale sign of guilt.

"Open the glove compartment," I suddenly instructed. "Take out what's inside."

With trembling hands, she reached forward and pulled open the small door. Inside lay the neatly folded legal document I'd acquired at such a high cost. As she took it out and unfolded it, I watched the color drain from her face.

"Finn..." she whispered, horror washing over her features. "How did you get this?"

The document in her hands was the secret agreement she had signed with William. The one that stipulated she must leave my family immediately after giving birth, never to contact our child or me again.

"Your signature looks rushed," I observed coldly. "Almost like you were desperate when you signed it."

"I..." Words failed her as she stared at the damning evidence.

"William used this agreement as a bargaining chip," I explained, keeping my voice devoid of emotion. "Richard's life in exchange for this document."

Understanding dawned in her eyes – the realization of what I had sacrificed. I had given up my chance for vengeance against the man who tried to kill her – all to protect what we had.

"I used my leaving to guarantee your position," she finally confessed, tears streaming down her face. "You'd keep your place in the company, and you'd protect our child's rights. I didn't have another choice."

Anger flashed through me again. "So you were going to sacrifice our relationship to secure my position? My inheritance?"

"Only your position would keep our child safe," she explained desperately. "Without that power, William would have found a way to take everything from you – from us."

I stared at her for a long moment before starting the engine again. The car slowly reversed from the edge, back onto solid ground. I could see my security team visibly relax, their shoulders dropping in relief. As if they could have saved us if I'd decided differently.

Turning to Hannah, I allowed my expression to soften slightly. "It's your choice, Hannah. If you still want to leave, I'll turn around right now and drive you anywhere you want to go."

Fresh tears spilled down her cheeks as she shook her head. "The place I want to be most is by your side. It always has been."

I reached out, gently wiping away her tears with my thumb. A strange feeling tugged at my chest – something unfamiliar that I wasn't ready to name. "No one will force you to leave me. Not William. Not anyone."

In one swift motion, I tore the agreement in half, then in quarters, tossing the pieces out the window. As we drove back toward Manhattan, I watched in the rearview mirror as the paper fragments scattered in the wind, dancing against the backdrop of Sterling Group flags and banners celebrating the arrival of our child.

I found Hannah's hand with mine, squeezing it firmly. "We're done with other people controlling our lives."